The latest season of Game of Thrones has already ended, & like many, I’m already suffering withdrawal symptoms. It’s not funny. Top that off with the fact that the next season won’t hit screens until Summer 2017 (c’mon HBO – don’t do us like that!!!), & it makes for a miserable bunch of rabid GoT fans. It got me thinking though (dangerous, I know) – what craft beers would the characters in GoT be?

Now, to do this I’ve to pick beers that people in Ireland can get their hands on regularly  (because if you’re going to do this, you may as well make a playable-game-of-sorts out of it). Which is what makes this tantalisingly fun & interesting (well, to me it is). I’m not going to through every character in the show, but I’ll hit up a list of characters & pair them with beers in the hope some of you reading will give your own interpretations/views/suggestions.

Tyrion Lannister

Tyrion is witty, & according to himself ‘drinks & knows things‘. He is diminutive in physicality, but a heavy hitter in the intelligence department. For this, I’m picking Trouble Brewing’s Graffiti Pale Ale as it is an utter monster for its 3.6% ABV.

Jamie Lannister

Jamie is a complex bloke; loves a bit of incest, killing kings & has had all his children die. Pretty morbid stuff indeed. If Jamie Lannister was a beer, he would be Odell’s Fernet Aged Porter, with its bitter liquorice.

Cersei Lannister

Cersei is a cold, heartless woman of intent, hungry for power. The very smell of it intoxicates her. She cannot be without it, & how she achieves it is with utter clinical ruthlessness. It is for this reason, Schorschbrau SchorschBock Ice 30 is a beer just for her.

Jon Snow

The man who ‘knows nothing’ & has come back to life to avenge his family retaking Winterfell. Under pressure, he knows what needs doing & is unafraid to step up, even when the odds are against him. For this reason, he is Northern Monk Eternal – bold, and up front yet measured.

Aya Stark

A child who became an assassin driven by vengeance. While still a child, she harbours a scarring bitterness for what befell her family, starting with her father. She is La Chouffre Houblon – a battle between bitterness & fruitiness.

Bran Stark

The crippled son of Eddard ‘Ned’ Stark who is on the run as he learns to come to terms with being a warg, & controlling his abilities. Bran & the three-eyed raven will become more to us as the show comes into its final two series to come through in the battle to save the seven kingdoms. The young prince is, for this reason, Founders KBS – it goes missing after being brewed into the darkness to re-emerge as an aged, wise beer with purpose.

Sansa Stark

A fiery red head whose character has risen from obscurity, & has always been under-rated. It is in her nature to be mature & level headed, yet not forget her roots, & when she bursts from her cocoon, and appears – she is as driven as her siblings to seek the righting of the Stark name. She is Rascals Brewing Big Hop Red.

Daenerys Targeryen

Queen of Mereen. Breaker of Chains. Khaleesi. First of her Name. Mother of Dragons. The Unburnt. For a princess effectively sold into sexual slavery by her brother, she’s a character we’ve cheered for who has come a long way since season one where her disposition was nervy. Her character reminds me of Cus D’Amato’s famous quote about Mike Tyson, “A boy comes to me with a spark of interest, I feed the spark and it becomes a flame. I feed the flame and it becomes a fire. I feed the fire and it becomes a roaring blaze.” For this reason, she is BrewDog’s Punk IPA.

Bron

I’ll be honest – the reason I’m including this character here is in the TV series, he has my favorite line of all six seasons so far; “There’s no cure for being a c**t.” While Bronn is a mercenary, there’s a genuinely loveable nature to him as a character. Quick witted. A skilled warrior. He is satisfying as a character & sharp – a bit like Beavertown Neck Oil Session IPA.

Hodor

I’m including the much beloved yet tragic character of Hodor because once you get into that mind-f**k about him in season six, you realise the path he had was always a terrible burden. And yet, with everything he bore it all like a hero, with self-sacrifice remembered fondly by fans of the series. It is for this reason, with his strength, dependency & consistency he for me is Schneider Weisse Tap 7 Unser Original.

 

I’d love to know your picks for the characters here, or others I’ve not mentioned & why. You can leave a comment below, on facebook or twitter. Winter is coming.